


Forces of Nature

by xKinkajou



Category: Thrilling Intent (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-06
Updated: 2016-10-06
Packaged: 2018-08-19 23:04:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8227829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xKinkajou/pseuds/xKinkajou
Summary: Druids are few and far between in the TI-verse and also my very favorite class in DND/PF. This is a collection of short stories based on a combination of an email from Jay and my interpretation of how druids fit into the TI world.





	1. Preface

Threads of pure life energy crisscross the earth. They convene in different points around the world, creating places that exude a strange power. These points are where druids are born, the earth infusing them with the green magic of life itself. Each druid, though sharing some similar powers, holds a unique affinity. Some draw their strength from the land, manipulating their favored environments to protect their territory. Others operate from an outside force: forming bonds with animals, communing with elementals, in some cases even insects. Most druids take on a sometimes lifelong journey to find where and how their power functions at its best. Some root their power in their birthplace.

Long, long ago, before even the first tiefling was born, before humans began worshipping the spirits as gods, mankind’s only defense against the spirits was magic. Arcane magic seemed to be the most common but was still very early in its development. Truly the rarest and most powerful at the time was that of the druids.

They served as leaders and guardians to their small communities. Slowly, after humans began worshipping spirits and coming into their own talents, druids weren’t viewed as leaders or guardians anymore. They simply weren’t needed. Some, pride stinging, retreated into reclusivity. Others tried to reintegrate into the new societies emerging. Ultimately, time proved them to be outsiders. Their powers too strange, too similar to the new ‘gods.’ As the druids disappeared to live their own lives they also disappeared from society’s consciousness. Forgotten were the powerful leaders of a time now past. They became known only as eccentric individuals that shunned human company for that of nature. It was a rarity among the already rare druids that they would choose to remain in society. Only a tiny, isolated island called Meathe tried to keep a druidic culture alive, despite not having any druids among them for centuries.

The time of the druids as leaders have long passed, but their stories still continue.


	2. Guardian of The Tree That Leans Against The Sky

Shelen braced herself against the harsh wind. The cold had never bothered her, but the wind still bit at her skin, leaving her cheeks cherry red. Winter was almost a constant in Freearch, especially on the mountain she called home. It was less of a mountain and more a millennia-old tree, encouraged to grow to colossal proportions by her and all the druids before her, time ossifying it’s bark into an almost rock-like texture. No one knew how the tree had come about in the first place or how it had come to thrum with a life force that, by those who could sense it, was described as almost godlike. It seemed to act as a beacon of the green magic, and indeed because of its influence, Freearch seemed to have a larger population of druids than the rest of the world, which still wasn’t all that much.

It was only her now left living on the mountain. Rhios, her teacher, had died over twenty years ago, leaving her to fend for herself at the age of twelve. Despite proclaiming himself as her mentor, he had never seemed to like her very much. One thing thing that incensed him beyond measure was that she could read the ogham writings all the druids from a time long past had left behind. It was a strange language comprised of tallies on a straight line. Shelen had never seen it before coming to the mountain all those many years ago, but somehow she understood it. It was a language connected with the green magic that resonated within her. He had been grumpy about everything she could do, not wanting to share any of his druidic secrets. She learned more in one year after his death than in the two she had spent with him.

Just about the only thing he did teach her was the history and geography of Freearch, not bothering to teach her anything of the surrounding islands. She thought it was because he hoped she would find the rest of Freearch so interesting that she would leave to explore it. Rhios had been a recluse at heart, believing it was his place in the world to live alone on the great tree. He had only grudgingly taken her on after the tree made it clear it wanted her around. He had never told her exactly how the tree had communicated its feelings (another one of his secrets) but after his death the tree completely opened up to her. She could sense emotions and ideas from it, though never anything truly complex.

  


Today brought her away from her home in the reaches of the sky for the first time in many years. A traveling scholar and her bodyguard had visited the great tree recently and after chatting with them, they shared that there was a rumor going around of a so-called “Night Queen,” a vampire haunting the woods a few days travel from the base of the mountain and building an undead army. They seemed skeptical of the validity of the tale, but Shelen thought it was worthy enough to check out.

When she reached the base of the tree, she could immediately tell the tale was true. She could feel the wrongness faintly, perhaps a couple days travel away. It was like a dull ache in the back of her mind and grew stronger the closer she came. When she finally arrived at the outskirts of a forest, it was a nausea in the pit of her stomach. The disturbing energy came from deep in the forest. She hesitated a moment. Whatever it was, it was incredibly strong. The darkness of night normally didn’t bother her, but tonight it made the forest ominous. Her resolve began to waver. She took a deep breath and let it out. She couldn’t leave this be. The maybe-vampire in the woods would only bring death and corruption if not stopped. She knew she was strong, she had trained for 22 years. What good was the power she gained if she was too afraid to use it. She swallowed her hesitation and her form twisted and shrunk.

Now a small white fox, she trotted silently into the trees, body held low to blend in with the snow. She darted among the frosty brush, eyes glowing in the light of the moon. She froze as screams pierced the still night air. Her ears swiveled, pinpointing the sound. She took off towards the noise. She broke through the woods to find a travel lodge surrounded by undead, a mixture of skeletons, zombies, and those somewhere in between. They were battering at doors and windows, trying with all their might to break through. The people inside had barricaded as best they could, but wood splintered under their blows. 

Her form shifted again. With a roar, 500 pounds of grizzly bear slammed into the nearest group of undead. Huge paws swatted them with such force that their heads went flying. The decapitated corpses continued to menace her until she battered their remains into bits.The remaining undead all turned away from their assault and reached for her hungrily. Her form twisted again and, as a bull moose, she let loose a deep bugle and charged. She bowled over the undead as if they were little more than rag dolls, trampling those that didn’t get sent flying. It wasn’t long before they rose no more. Shelen looked to the lodge, checking to make sure it wasn’t breached. Terrified faces stared at her from within. 

Her heart stopped. They were afraid of her. She wondered what they saw her as. She had saved them, but here she stood, a 7 foot tall moose smeared with gore. It was a terrifying sight to be sure. Every time she descended from the great tree she was met with fear in some form or another.This was why she always stayed high above them all. It wasn’t that she wanted to be alone. It was that no one else seemed to want someone like her around. It was just like Rhios had said, we are just too different from the other humans, too close to being something else. A well-muscled, red-haired figure appeared to be pulling on bits of armor and heading for the door. She didn’t want a needless fight. She wheeled and galloped back into the trees.

Shelen stopped a good distance from the lodge and listened, both for pursuit and other undead nearby, ears swiveling, but heard nothing. She returned to fox form, searching for the leader again, trying to keep the rejection at the back of her mind. A pulse of twisted life energy told her it could be found deep in the forest. It gnawed at her. This abomination of the raw life force that gave her power needed to be put to an end before it corrupted the land and its people. Undead she passed ignored her. They didn’t seem to sense her as anything but a simple animal. She left them alone, continuing her hunt. She could come back for them after she dispatched the leader.

Eventually, she came upon a cabin in the woods that may have once belonged to a woodsman. She paused and studied it cautiously, fluffing up her fur against the cold. She could feel the presence from inside, the wave nausea it gave her almost made her gag.

Abandoning the fox form in favor of her human self, she readied herself to cast a spell. Planting her feet firmly in the ground and chanting in a steadily rising voice, Shelen channeled the power of the mountainous tree she could feel even from here. With a guttural cry, she raised her hands sharply. Colossal masses of earth, small mountains in their own right, erupted from the ground on either side of the cabin. She brought her hands together with a clap that was drowned out by the sound of rock crunching together, utterly destroying the cabin. Their work done, the small mountains crumbled, returning to the earth. All that remained were shattered bits of wood and a rumpled, very pissed off, vampire.

The vampire hissed and launched herself at the druid, red eyes blazing.

Shelen tumbled to the side, a pale blue blade of softly sparkling light appearing in her hand, “I won’t let you bring ruin to my home, Night Queen!”. 

The vampire stopped a moment, blinking, then burst into full-throated laughter, “You think I’m the Night Queen? You tell Strak he’ll need to send bigger flunkies than you to deal with me, nevermind the Night Queen. Not that you’ll get a chance to after you die.” She lunged, claw-like fingers outstretched.

Shelen flicked the blade out, blocking the blow. The vampire snatched her hand back with a gasp, “What kind of magic is that? I thought you were just an idiot mage.” She jumped back as Shelen moved in with the frost blade, eyeing the druid cautiously, “Not a fighter either, you’re definitely not very well trained with that. You’re just swinging that around like a stick.” She laughed, “Magic or not, you don’t have the expertise to kill me with that. Just give up, I’ll make it quick.”

Shelen frowned. The vampire was right, she was too quick for her to hit. She grasped at her power and threw it out to the snow surrounding the vampires feet. It solidified into ice and she charged. Shelen scored a hit on the woman’s face before the ice broke from her inhuman strength and she jumped away.

“Aha, I see now, an idiot druid then. I’ve never had the pleasure, I hope your blood tastes interesting.” She side stepped, keeping her eyes locked on Shelen, “You know what I used to be in life? I used to sing for kings and powerful men. I could get them to give me whatever I wished after they heard my voice. Of course one day I set my sights too high and tried to swindle the wrong woman, but you’re nothing compared to _her_.” Her voice rose in a lilting melody, she sang a few bars and ordered, “ _Look at me_.”

Shelen’s mind fought the suggestion, but she felt her eyes drawn to the vampire’s. They locked gazes. A horrific grin spread across the vampire’s face as Shelen’s muscles froze. Her body began to move on it’s own, kneeling down in the snow.

“Yesssss,” the vampire hissed, “Now you’re mine.” She strode over and bent to the druids neck to feed.

Shelen started to panic. It couldn’t be over already. She closed her eyes and threw her mind out to the great tree, Please, grant me the power to get out of this, give me anything. She waited, hoping for a rush of power, a break in the domination placed on her, something. There was nothing but the feeling of her life being drained away.

The earth began to shake beneath them. The vampire jumped back in alarm, eyes wild and blood dripping messily from her lips. Shelen dropped, released from the vampire’s control.

“Impossible! How-” The vampire was cut off as thick, ancient roots, shot from the ground, ensnaring her around the waist. Smaller roots whipped around her feet and hands, suspending her above the ground. She screeched and fought wildly against her bonds. 

Shelen almost couldn’t believe it. The tree was so ancient and vast that it’s roots spread even this far. She shakily rose to her feet, “I won’t make the same mistake twice. This ends now.” She pulled back her arm as if she was throwing a javelin and tossed with all her might. A deadly sharp icicle shot forth and pierced the vampire through the heart. The vampire stilled. She wasn’t dead yet. Plain ice couldn’t kill a vampire, but it was enough to paralyze one for a time. 

Shelen, a couple shades paler from blood loss, staggered over to a tree and ripped off a branch. She didn’t know much about staking vampires. She hoped pine would be good enough. Drawing a dagger, she began to hastily sharpen the end into a point. Her eyes shifted wildly, making sure no undead were coming. She was surprised the vampire hadn’t summoned her army to her during the fight. That left her with a bad feeling. She had no idea what would happen to the undead under the vampire’s control after she was destroyed. 

The crude stake finished, Shelen turned to the vampire. She readied the stake in one hand and grasped the ice spear with another. If she wasn't fast enough, she would have to re-engage with the vampire. She didn’t think she could last another round. She took a deep breath and went for it. The vampire spasmed as the spear left her body. Her eyes snapped to Shelen and she snarled as the stake plunged into her heart. The snarl turned into a chilling, inhuman scream that made Shelen shiver in a way the cold never could. The vampire’s body began to burn away from the stake outward, crumbling into dust. The roots that had been holding her retreated back into the ground, leaving furrowed earth behind.

Shelen collapsed to her knees, breathing a heavy sigh of relief. It wasn’t over yet, though. There was still the undead to deal with. Hunting them down one by one would be the hardest part. The night was still young. She decided she would rest a bit, then start her search. She sat, leaning against the very pine tree she took a branch from and closed her eyes.

  


Shelen woke, alarm shooting through her. She had no idea how long she had lain there, but she could feel them coming. Huge, nauseating waves of undeath came at her from all sides. The vampire had called her entire army to her before she got staked. She struggled to her feet. They would be here any moment, she didn’t have much time prepare.

She focused on the great tree’s roots beneath her and drew power from them. She chanted spell after spell. Her skin toughened, she felt herself grow faster, and she felt stronger. It wouldn’t last long, but the renewed vigor from her spells would make up for her lost blood just long enough. She could worry about that after. The first wave of undead appeared in her vision, a range of skeletons and zombies, and she launched her first spell. 

The night around them turned pitch black, blotting out the light of the moon and stars. The temperature plummeted rapidly, driven by her spell, low enough that she started to feel almost pained from it, testing the limits of her cold resistance. Some of the undead, without such resistances, literally froze in their tracks. Still others, those with less flesh and tendons to freeze, charged on, albeit sluggishly through the sheer cold. 

She started her next spell. Wickedly sharp icicles erupted from the ground, spearing scores of the creatures up into the air. The hordes parted around the obstructions and kept coming.

She had time for one more spell before they reached her. Shimmering, silvery forms glimmered into existence around her, spirit bears to fight alongside her. She shifted her form to match theirs and they stood, four bears against hundreds of undead. With a guttural roar, she charged, ready to fight to the end. 

They fought for what felt like hours. One undead would fall only to replaced by two more. One by one, the bears dissipated as they reached their limits. Shelen fought on through exhaustion and pain. Her spells began to wear off one by one and her light-headedness returned. As if sensing she was nearing her limit, the great tree responded and roots shot from the ground once more, battering and entangling. Unable to hold her shape any longer, she pulled back and returned to human form. One last spell was all she had in her. She couldn’t fight anymore.

She braced her feet and threw her hands to the sky. She grabbed at power around her and yanked downwards. Great hunks of ice and snow materialized and smothered the battlefield. Before she was buried in the avalanche along with the undead, the great tree’s roots surrounded her, forming a protective shell. 

With the last of her energy spent, she collapsed, cradled by ancient roots. She lay in the cool darkness and closed her tired eyes. She wasn’t quite sure why she felt compelled to protect the people that lived around her. No one would notice if she never descended from the great tree. No one would care if she died here now. Rhios had told her the life of a druid was meant to be a solitary one. If that was true, then why did these thoughts make her feel so heartbroken? A slim root emerged and lightly tapped her wrist as if giving comfort. She gave a small smile, “At least I have you.” She closed her eyes, her breathing slowed, and she fell into a deep sleep.

  


She stirred to great creaking sounds and muffled remarks. She felt exhaustion deep in her bones. She could hardly open eyes. Through a tired haze, she could make out someone pulling the roots back. They slithered back into the ground reluctantly as they were pulled from the shell. Strong arms lifted her and she fell back into grateful sleep.

She awoke, warm, almost too warm, and head pounding. She pushed off the thick quilts covering her and sat up with some difficulty. 

An arm reached out to steady her, “Careful, you’ve had a rough night.” 

Shelen looked up to see the owner of the husky voice. A red-haired woman grinned at her. This was the red-haired figure she had seen last night. “Yeah, you could say that.”

She looked around. She was in a tiny bedroom. The room had just enough space for a bed, a chest, and an end table. The woman sitting on the floor next to the bed seemed just as sparsely dressed. Her clothes were rumpled as if she’d been sleeping in them. It was doubtful the bits of armor she wore had come from the same set. She wore one leather pauldron, one bracer, and one grieve all in different colored leather. It almost seemed like a planned aesthetic. Shelen didn’t get to take in much more than that before she was bombarded with the woman’s energy.

“Did you take that whole army out by yourself? I didn’t get there in time to see it, it must have been amazing,” Her eyes lit up with excitement.

Shelen was a little taken aback, “That… excites you? Most other people I meet are… a little put off by things like that.”

“Well, I guess a normal person would be a little freaked out seeing what was left on that particular battlefield, but I’ve seen worse. Hell, I’ve done worse” A cup of juice was shoved into her hand, “Drink that, you look like you’re a little low on blood. Never seen someone so pale.”

Shelen grimaced and rubbed the bite wounds on her neck, “About what you’d expect from vampires. Have you ever heard of one calling itself the Night Queen? This one claimed to work for her.”

The woman’s face paled. Her eyes darted around, checking the window and the crack under the door. Her voice dropped to a whisper, “The Night Queen is something that’s become very powerful, very fast. Most vampires don’t leave Kuravia because they’re more powerful there, it’s easy for them to establish a home base and make a… human farm, of sorts. This vampire has her eyes set on the world and she’s making alarming progress. There’s a group even bigger and badder than her that are hunting her and you shouldn’t get in their way. Leave this Night Queen business here and don’t come back to it.”

Shelen shrank back from her fervent tone, “What group is this? I was just protecting my territory, why would they come after me?”

The woman pursed her lips in frustration, “Just trust me. If you get these people’s attention, they won’t want to let you go. They seek out powerful people to work for them and they have ways to force you if you won’t come quietly.” She moved closer and her voice dropped to the barest whisper, “They get what they want because they basically run this world from the shadows. If they catch wind of you taking out her agents, it won’t be long before they rope you into it.”

“If they rule from the shadows how do you know about them?”

The question was ignored, “The name’s Cinnia by the way. What’s yours?”

She sighed and took a sip of the juice. It was cool on her throat. “I’m Shelen. You don’t look like you’re from around here. Where are you from?”

The grin returned, “I’m from a place called Ysrid. I’ve been more interested in finding a place to train. That’s why I came to Freearch. I’m planning on climbing that giant mountain a few days from here. I’ve heard it’s one of the tallest in the world. Thinking I want to train there for a while. I’m hoping theres bears. I’ve always wanted to wrestle a bear.”

A shocked expression crossed the druid’s face, “Oh, that’s where I live. I can guide you there if you’d like.” She dared to let hope fill her. A companion, even a temporary one, would be a blessing.

Cinnia brightened even more ,”You wouldn’t mind me living with you? This is great, I couldn't have hoped for better.”

“Living? I thought you just wanted to train?” She held her breath, anxious.

“I mean, I don’t have to stay forever…” the smile faded slightly.

“No, no, please, my home is open to you as long as you want to stay.” She felt herself smiling back as Cinnia’s grin stretched from ear to ear again.

“Great. The only problem is we have to leave now. The innkeeper didn’t want me bringing you in here as it was. They kinda knew who you were. You freak them out a bit. I can carry you if you don’t feel up to it.”

She set her juice aside, having finished it, “I think I can make it a little easier.” She closed her eyes and focused. It was tough, her head still swimming. Her form twisted and she shrank into a small, fluffy, white fox. 

Cinnia gave a small gasp, “Gods…. I have never seen something so cute.” She swept up the fox in her arms, “You’re light as a feather, we’ll be there in no time.

The fox settled into her arms and gave a heavy sigh. It was going to be long two day trip home, but she looked forward to returning this time. For the first time in twenty years, she wouldn’t be alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update times will probably be pretty long. I have several different characters halfway done with their short stories, just haven't had the time to finish them. I haven't decided yet if I'll continue Shelen and Cinnia's story either. I feel like they both could use more developing.


End file.
